Fleurs de Dévotion
by Infinity Lily
Summary: Since her first year, Lily Evans has received flowers from a not-so-secret admirer every Valentines day. They have surprised her, frustrated her, relieved her and disgusted her, but never before have they made her smile. At least not until now.


**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter**

**Happy Valentines day! Reviews are much appreciated! Enjoy!**

* * *

**~Fleurs de Dévotion~**

**~Infinity Lily~**

As it had every year since she started at Hogwarts, the bouquet of flowers sat on her bedside table ready to greet her when she woke up. And for the first time, a smile stretched unbidden across her face at the sight of them. This startled her and she sat up sharply, the smile replaced with a small frown. The sight of the flowers had caused her stomach to flutter, her pulse to quicken and had made her smile. That had never happened before.

* * *

_When Lily Evans opened her eyes on her first Valentines day since coming to Hogwarts she had been surprised and flattered at the flowers that awaited her. She'd become even more confused and astonished when she realised that in traditional fashion, the flowers were anonymous. Her friends had gathered around giggling and teasing as they tried to decide who they could be from. Although it was possible that it was someone from a different house, the most plausible being Severus, they had all agreed that it was more likely to be someone from Gryffindor and almost definitely in their year. They doubted anyone would help a Slytherin send flowers to a Gryffindor either._

_"What about Remus?" Her best friend Alice Prewett had asked. Alice had straight black hair, falling to her shoulders and big icy blue eyes. She had a round face and a sweet smile, she was bubbly, enthusiastic and likable. Always putting a positive spin on things._

_"I don't think he'd get you flowers," Mary MacDonald had responded looking thoughtfully at the pretty, fragrant bundle in question. Mary had wavy, honey brown hair that came all the way to her bum. She had wide doe-like amber eyes and was the most even keeled of all Lily's friends. She was always calm and quiet, never judging people and very rarely lost her temper._

_"No," Marlene McKinnon had agreed, "What about Chris? Chris Mofflay?" She named another first year Gryffindor boy. Marlene was the most out-going of the four friends. She had a tall athletic figure, curly blonde hair and blue eyes. Already she was popular among the boys of Hogwarts and had her own share of flowers and cards._

_"Maybe," Alice said grinning at Lily who was yet to voice her opinion, "He's kind of cute."_

_"I know," gushed Marlene, "His eyes are amazing!"_

_"They're so blue!" Alice giggled._

_"I don't think it was Chris," Mary cut in frowning slightly._

_Alice shrugged,  
"Well Peter Pettigrew has a crush on Lils, but he'd never act on it so it wasn't him. And if his friends found out they would have signed it from Peter."_

_Marlene nodded thoughtfully,  
"Maybe Sirius did it as a prank?"_

_Mary spoke, she had turned her wide eyed gaze to Lily,  
"It wasn't a prank."_

_"How do you know?" Alice asked, surprised at the surety in her friend's voice._

_"What do those flowers symbolize, Lily?" Mary asked, knowing that out of all of them Lily was the most likely to know, seeing as her mother was a florist._

_"They're primroses and lilacs," Lily said in an oddly detached voice, "Yellow primroses pretty much mean that you can't live without the person. It's a symbol of passionate love. And purple lilacs symbolise first love and the innocence of youth."_

_There was silence for a second as Lily's words sank in. The devotion the flowers symbolised amazed and slightly scared the first years. Marlene and Alice looked between the flowers and Lily, their surprise and awe apparent on their faces._

_"Wow," Marlene muttered_

_"So who sent them?" Alice said, her voice hushed._

_Mary smiled slightly,  
"Who do we know that has a crush on Lily and is confident enough to give a girl flowers like these?" she asked._

_Three faces turned to hers._

_Marlene suddenly gasped, swinging her head wildly between Lily, Mary and the source of all the excitement. The flowers that remained untouched on the bedside table._

_"James Potter," she had exclaimed._

* * *

Seventh year Lily Evans, smiled unbidden at the memory. She remembered the shock turning to hushed whispers of excitement, humour and disgust.

Marlene had found it absolutely hilarious. She and James had grown up together and were practically brother and sister. Alice who had been and still was a hopeless romantic, had been excited and found it sweet. Lily however had been somewhat disgusted, she'd thought James Potter was the worst boy in the world. The meanest, most arrogant, bullying, imbecile. However because she liked the flowers and they had come anonymously she'd decide to keep them. Perhaps they weren't from James at all. She'd hoped so at least.

The next two years had followed a similar pattern. The same bouquet of flowers had awaited her on Valentines day of her second and third year. Each had been so beautiful and had smelt so heavenly that Lily had thought it a shame to waste such lovely flowers. Blame her mother in her, but Lily Evans had kept them.

It had quickly become apparent that it was indeed the self proclaimed Marauder, Potter who had sent her the pretty bundle. At first Lily had been able to look past her dislike for the giver and see the actual gift itself. This was made better by the fact that he had never mentioned it, blushing whenever someone brought it up and enduring the teasing silently.

However half way through her fourth year everything had changed.

* * *

_Lily had been walking from Transfiguration to the Great Hall for lunch. Mary had accompanied Marlene to the Library so the blonde could hurriedly finish her homework for their next class so it was only Alice who was there to witness the first time James Potter asked Lily Evans out._

_The two girls had been walking side by side, bags swung over their shoulders and both carrying their books. They were being carried along in the stream of people hurrying to the Great Hall, and were laughing together when James had yelled from where he was lounging against the opposite wall of the corridor, with Sirius and Remus on either side of him,_

_"Oi Evans! Hope you don't have any plans for Saturday, because we're going to Hogsmeade together!"_

_He didn't ask, he told her, never doubting for a second that she would decline._

_"No we're not!" Lily had yelled back, her face going red with anger, "I'm going with Severus!"_

_James had snorted and sauntered towards her, running a hand through his messy black hair, the cocky smirk still in place._

_"Evans, I just asked you out."_

_"No," Lily had snapped back, "You told me you were taking me out, now get out of my way."_

_She'd tried to push past him, but he held out his arm stopping her, his smirk had faltered slightly at her words, but now it was back in place._

_"You have my most sincere apologies Evans, will you go to Hogsmeade with me?"_

_Lily didn't stop to consider that he was sincerely asking her out, her face went even redder and her hands curled into fists._

_"Why would I want to go with you Potter?" she'd snarled, once again trying to push past him._

_The smirk disappeared off James' face entirely and he ran his hand through his hair again. He tried to put a hand on Lily's arm but she shook it off, and stormed past. He grabbed her hand before she could leave and whirled her around. He was smirking again._

_"Please," he'd said arrogantly, "Why wouldn't you wan to go with me?"_

_To Lily's credit she did try and reign in her temper, she shook him off again and gritted her teeth,  
"I'm going with Severus, Potter! Leave me alone!"_

_Then she stomped down the hallway, which had quickly filled with people keen to watch the show. It all could have ended there but James yelled after her,  
"That slimy haired git? He's a Slytherin! Why would you want to go with him?" he said in a disgusted voice._

_Lily whirled around, her eyes flashing with an angry fire,  
"He's my friend Potter!"_

_James scowled,  
"Sure Evans! I'm sure that's all he feels for you, friendship!"_

_"Yes it is, not that you would understand that would you Potter?"_

_"What's that supposed to mean?" James asked sharply._

_"You'd shag anything in a skirt!" Lily sneered._

_James smirked,  
"Are you jealous Evans?"_

_Some people laughed, and the embarrassment only increased Lily's fury, her hands were shaking with the rage she desperately tried to control,  
"No, you arrogant toe-rag!"_

_"Is that why you won't go out with me?" James asked, laughing slightly, "Because I'm an arrogant toe-rag?"_

_"I won't go out with you because you're an immature, bullying prat with an ego the size of the entire European continent! And I know this might be hard for you to understand, Potter but, I'M GOING WITH SEVERUS!" Lily yelled the last part._

_Now James looked angry and embarassed, the words spilt out before he could stop them,  
"You're a perfect couple! Miss stuck-up-better-than-everyone-else-Evans and Snivellous! Maybe you should tell him to wash that grease pit he calls hair? But then you probably like that about him! And his love of the dark arts! You're so naive Evans, you think he actually likes you! You think he's actually your friend! He's a Slytherin, and a Death Eater!"_

_"Don't call him that, you stupid prick!" Lily yelled, "You don't know anything!"_

_"Why shouldn't I? What's perfect Evans going to do about it? Run and tell a Professor, like the goody-two-shoes she always is?_

_His taunting and the laughter of the surrounding crowd made some of Lily's reckless anger fizzle out. She stared at the boy before her, then at the crowd surrounding them, suddenly the weight of all their gazes made her feel confined, she desperately wanted to get out._

_"Just you wait Evans! Snivellous will prove he's a cowardly, cruel snake! You'll-"_

_It was probably all a prank anyway, why would James Potter want to go out with her when he could literally have any girl he wanted? It was probably all a joke, meant to humiliate her. His words, the weight of the onlookers it became too much and tears sprang to Lily's eyes. She would not cry in front of Potter, not in front of all these people. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction. She had to get away from them all._

_"I hate you!" Lily exploded, interrupting, "You wonder why I won't go out with you..."_

_Then she pushed through the crowd desperately trying to stop the tears that spilt over her cheeks. She'd never cried because of James Potter before. They'd never fought this hard, never spoken so maliciously. If only she had turned back to see the instantaneous look of regret on James' face, the guilt that sent him racing after her. If only she had let him apologise before she hexed him. She might have discovered that it wasn't a prank, he didn't ask her out to humiliate her. Not at all. In fact she had no idea._

* * *

_The Valentines day of her fourth and fifth year the flowers were thrown from the window of the girls' dormitory in Gryffindor Tower. She refused to look at them, to inhale their sweet perfume and be won over by their beauty. She just hurled them from the window and refused to answer any of her friend's questions._

* * *

_Lily supposed it was sixth year when it really began to change, she'd wondered if the flowers would still be there, or if for the first time there would be no bouquet of primroses and lilacs waiting on her bedside table. For the first time in her years at Hogwarts, Lily had a boyfriend on Valentines Day. His name was Adam Larking, he was a sixth year Ravenclaw with sandy blonde hair and chocolate brown eyes. He was good for Lily, he made her smile, he loved her and he challenged her. She could have intellectual debates with him, do homework with him, kiss him and allow herself to be loved. What he didn't make her feel was a burning anger, he didn't make her want to scream or cry or laugh until her sides hurt. She wasn't overwhelmed by an emotion that coursed through her like fire when he smiled. But she loved him and he loved her, and right then, that was what she needed._

_That and the fact that she and James had hardly spoken all year, had helped Lily convince herself that there was no way she would receive that bouquet. No way._

_She should've known better, James Potter was nothing if not persistent._

_When Lily Evans opened her eyes on the morning of February 14th during her sixth year at Hogwarts she experienced a sense of deja vu. Once again she was staring at the bouquet of primroses and lilacs with utter surprise. She could not explain the sense of guilty relief, nor could she explain her reasons for keeping this bouquet. When her friends commented she simply said that it would be a waste to throw something that beautiful out the window. Beside James' bouquet was another flower. A single red rose and a card from Adam. Lily could not help but think how dreadfully cliche that was, she couldn't help but think that the symbolism of a single rose was universal it required no genuine thought. She couldn't help but compare it to James' masterpiece._

_At breakfast Lily had run to Adam and like the dutiful girlfriend she was she had kissed him and politely thanked him. As they ate at the Ravenclaw table, with some of Adam's friends Lily had spotted James and Sirius walking into the Great Hall. Immediately both were swamped my girls, blushingly handing over chocolates, flowers and cards. Lily was surprised by the jealousy that suddenly consumed her. Struck with a sudden idea, she excused herself and hurried over to James and Sirius._

_For the first time in the six years she had known them, neither looked to be enjoying the attention. Both were looking rather wistfully at the Gryffindor table, well James was looking at the food and to Lily's interest Sirius seemed rather fascinated by Marlene. At the sight her hurrying towards them James broke into a smile and Sirius mouthed, 'save me!'. Lily smiled and in her best prefect voice sent the girls back to their tables. Most of them shot her dirty looks as they passed but Lily ignored them._

_"Thanks, Evans. I owe you one," Sirius said as he moved away towards where Lily's friend was sitting with Mary._

_"Thanks Lily, I don't know how long that would've taken if you hadn't saved us," James said with a smile that made her heart leap._

_"It's ok," Lily shrugged, "Listen James, I just wanted to thank you for the flowers."_

_As she said it he blushed and ran a hand through his hair. An action that had once infuriated her so, she now understood to be one of nervous habit._

_"I realised, I never had thanked you," Lily bit her lip and glanced behind her, not surprised when she saw that Adam was watching the exchange closely, "and I just wanted to let you know that I really do love them."_

_Then Lily hugged him. She lingered perhaps a moment longer than necessary, enjoying the warm solidness of him. He'd always been there, not always as her friend, but he'd always been there. He'd always been a big part of her life. The feeling of his arms wrapped around her holding her tight was indescribable. And she was struck with the sudden thought, "Adam never holds me like this."_

* * *

Perhaps it wasn't surprising that before the month was up Lily and Adam had split up. That day had started off James and Lily's friendship. Over the last year the two had grown to become very close friends, closer than Lily had ever been to Severus, Mary, Marlene or even Alice. She could tell him anything, he could make her feel like nobody else, she could want to strangle him, hug him and laugh till she couldn't breathe all in one conversation. Nobody made her that angry, nobody but James. She hadn't wasted a tear on any boy but James, not since Severus at least, and it had been more like like several rivers than a single tear.

* * *

Lily held the flowers up to her face, breathing in their sweet smell. She smiled and dressed in her school uniform, braided her long red hair down her back and taking one primrose and tucked it into the end of her braid.

At breakfast Lily thanked James and hugged him, she couldn't stop smiling. She laughed as Marlene blushingly accepted a bouquet of beautiful flowers from Sirius, giving him a kiss on the cheek that made him grin like he'd won the lottery. As Alice said later, Marlene was the only girl Sirius had ever given a valentine to. Something that made her beam.

There was any air of expectancy as the Gryffindor seventh years walked into the potions class room after lunch, to end the day with a double period. Lily and James entered together a few steps behind their friends enthralled in their own conversation. Just as the pair sat down at a desk behind Sirius and Marlene and next to Alice and Mary, Professor Slughorn entered.

After wishing the class a happy Valentines day he proceeded to introduce the new topic they would be starting, he confessed that he had drawn the last topic out a few extra lessons so that it would fall on February 14th, feeling it was prudent to start their unit on love potions on the day of love itself.

"Unfortunately the Ministry does not approve of students brewing Amortentia, so we will have to make do with brewing some slightly less potent potions," he said apologetically as he took out a cauldron and carefully placed it on his desk.

"However I have brewed it myself, to give you a real look at it's characteristics and feel it's irresistible pull for yourself. Amortentia cannot produce real love, but it does create powerful infatuation or obsession, which is why this is probably the most dangerous potion you've seen in this room."

James leaned over and whispered in Lily's ear,  
"I think some of Nott's potions would do more damage if you attempted to drink them," he chuckled.

Lily giggled and nodded her head in agreement.

"Miss Evans, could you please tell me some of the characteristics of Amortentia?" Slughorn said, training his beady eyes on the smiling pair.

"Of course, Professor," Lily said, "the mother-of-pearl sheen and spiraling steam are both defining characteristics, but Amortentia's most renowned attribute is the smell, which is different for each person, according to what attracts them," she smiled charmingly.

Professor Slughorn laughed,  
"Right of course, take ten points Miss Evans. Now I am sure you're all curious as to what you would smell, so one at a time would you please come up and take a whiff, and tell us what it is that attracts you."

As the first few people came to smell the potion and announce the aroma they found appealing, Lily frowned slightly,  
"This has the potential to be very embarrassing," she said to James, who nodded.

"Although, I have to say, I'm curious."

Sirius went up next and Lily and James both began paying more attention. As he bent to smell it, Lily saw his whole face relax, he inhaled again and a small smile appeared on his face. With what looked like immense effort he took a few steps away and his face quickly became masked again,  
"I smell Firewhiskey, that wooden smell of a new broom, motorcycle petrol and..." he trailed off muttering something.

"What was that mate?" James called, smirking.

Lily nudged him with her elbow but couldn't hold back a smile, Sirius didn't blush but he looked uncomfortable.

"A flowery sort of perfume," he said loudly, daring James or anyone to comment.

It was Alice who began giggling first, under his heated glare she buried her face in her hands and tried to quieten.

"Marlene wears flowery perfume, doesn't she?" James asked innocently.

Sirius flipped him off as he sat down, reclining in his seat, the picture of cool indifference. Marlene strode forward confidently, her cheeks a little pink.

"I smell pine needles, hairspray, broom stick polish and cologne," she announced, speaking very fast before returning to her seat.

"Who's cologne Marley?" Lily teased.

"Shut up, we all know who's cologne you'd be smelling!" she snapped.

Lily scowled at her friend,  
"I don't know what you're talking about," she said loftily.

"Sure you do-"

"Marley shut up!" Alice said from where she was standing a few steps from the cauldron.

After Alice and Mary had been it was James' turn, he stood up and walked to the front of the class. Like Sirius, upon inhaling, his posture and expression relaxed and a lazy smile spread across his face.

"I smell leather like a quaffle, rain, chocolate and strawberry shampoo."

Lily's face went bright red and Marlene, Alice and Mary simultaneously burst into fits of laughter, Lily idly wondered how many other girls used strawberry shampoo, probably heaps. As the red head made her way to the front of the room she wondered what she would smell, would it be embarrassing? Probably, the majority of people had looked uncomfortable as they shared the aromas that attracted them with the class.

Lily paused just before inhaling, a moment of suspense that left her with her curiosity burning, when she finally breathed in the most amazing smells greeted her. The slightly musty scent of an old book, the pure undiluted smell of magic, the ocean and a flowery smell. Those were all to be expected, she'd always loved books, especially old ones, magic had always been so much more amazing and important to her because she was muggleborn, she'd been spending her summers at the Evans' beach home for as long as she could remember and her mother was a florist. As Lily opened her mouth to say this she suddenly distinguished the flowers, they weren't just any flowers, it was the familiar smell of the mixed scent of primroses and lilacs. Lily felt her face heat up, she desperately wanted to lie, but she felt that that would not be right. She should not have to, nor want to lie about her heart's desires, besides everyone else had been honest.

Drawing on her Gryffindor bravery and feeling slightly lightheaded from the potion, Lily took a few steps away and before her head could clear enough for the words to become lodged in her throat she quickly said,  
"Old books, magic, the ocean and primroses and lilacs."

Marlene raised her hands and clapped, while Alice giggled hysterically, Sirius wolf-whistled and Mary smiled brightly. James however went bright red too and refused to meet her eye.

Lily hurried back to her seat, what had she done? Was James mad? Embarrassed? What had she been thinking? Had she been so high on the intoxicating scent of the love potion that she'd just all but admitted she was attracted to James Potter? When in the name of Godric Gryffindor had that happened? When had she become attracted to her best friend? How had she not noticed until now?

These thoughts consumed Lily's mind for the rest of the lesson, it made sense she realised. Her emotions towards James had always been strong. Perhaps the line between hate and love was rather thin after all. There were definitely worse people to like, James was handsome, smart, funny and her best friend. Lily remembered when she was a little girl, she had asked her Mum who her best friend was. Lily had been surprised and confused when her mum had named Lily's father.

_"But he's your husband, that doesn't count!" Little Lily Evans had protested._

_Rose Evans had smiled at her youngest daughter,  
"He's always been my best friend Lily-bug, one day you'll understand."_

And now Lily understood, she realised that it had been staring her in the face for a long time and she hadn't realised. It all made sense now. The funny feelings she had been getting, stomach acrobatics and burning emotions.

* * *

When the bell rang Lily glanced at James, only to find him staring at her with an intensity that knocked all hopes of forming words from her mind. She could only stare back helplessly falling deeper into his beautiful hazel eyes. The naked emotion in his face shocked her, it was such passionate longing, almost painful desire written all across his face. Perhaps if he hadn't looked away at that moment she would have kissed him right there. But he did and in doing so released her from the spell that had bound her.

She followed him through the door, and to the Great Hall where they joined their friends for dinner, they ate in near silence, Alice, Mary, Peter and Remus providing the only conversation. When James and Lily had finished they stood together to leave, still having spoken not a word to each other. As she passed, Alice grabbed Lily's sleeve, yanking her down to whisper,  
"I doubt many girls use strawberry shampoo."

That gave Lily the last boost of confidence she needed, she winked at Alice and again followed James through the castle. At the Heads dorm they stopped and James gave the password, stepping aside so she could enter first. She did and as soon as he too had climbed through and the painting had swung shut behind him she'd surged forward and kissed him.

She had no idea what made her do it, that was the sort of thing Marlene would do, not Lily. Lily would sit down with the object of her affections and have a nice chat about how they felt until they came to some agreement. Like going to Hogsmeade together. But this, this was completely crazy, instinctual and amazing.

Their lips moved in perfect synchronization, his hand on her hip holding her close and her arms around his head angling his head just right. The feel of his body pressed against hers, his arms wrapped tightly, protectively around her, the warmth that was spreading through her entire body and the tingling that had begun in her lips and had now reached her toes was indescribable. As the pair broke apart for air, James retracted his arms leaving Lily feeling considerably colder than she had been a few moments before. Lily stared up at the man she had just decided she liked very very much, perhaps even loved and felt her stomach do a backflip for joy. He smiled at her, then became serious,

"I really like you Lily, I have for a long time and-" he ran a hand through his hair, struggling to find the words to describe what he was feeling, the words to convey his thoughts.

Lily smiled at him,  
"I know," she said softly.

His gaze landed on the primrose in her hair and he grinned, she did know.

"Lily, I-"

She stepped forward, closing the little distance between them and wrapped her arms around his neck once more,  
"Shut up and kiss me, Potter," she smiled beautifully at him.

And who was he to argue with the beautiful girl standing in front of him.

* * *

** A.N. Thanks for reading! Please Review!**


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